Everything We Didn'T Say - By Nicole Baart ( Paperback )

About the Book

"Juniper Baker had just graduated from high school and was deep in the throes of a summer romance when Cal and Beth Murphy, a childless couple who lived on a neighboring farm, were brutally murdered. When her younger brother became the prime suspect, June's world collapsed and everything she loved that summer fell away. She left, promising never to return to tiny Jericho, Iowa. Until now. Officially, she's back in town to help an ill friend manage the local library. But really, she's returned to repair her relationship with her teenage daughter, who's been raised by Juniper's mother and step-father since birth-and to solve the infamous Murphy murders once and for all. She knows the key to both lies in the darkest secret of that long-ago summer night, one that's haunted her for nearly fifteen years. As history begins to repeat itself and a dogged local true crime podcaster starts delving into the murders, the race to the truth puts past and present on a dangerous collision course. Juniper lands back in an all-too-familiar place with the answers to everything finally in her sights, but this time it's her daughter's life that hangs in the balance. Will revealing what really happened mean a fresh start? Or will the truth destroy everything Juniper loves for a second time? Baart once again brilliantly weaves mystery into family drama in this expertly-crafted novel for fans of Lisa Jewell and Megan Miranda"--

Book Synopsis

From the author of Little Broken Things, a "race-to-the-finish family drama" (People) following a mother who must confront the dark summer that changed her life forever in order to reclaim the daughter she left behind.

Juniper Baker had just graduated from high school and was deep in the throes of a summer romance when Cal and Beth Murphy, a childless couple who lived on a neighboring farm, were brutally murdered. When her younger brother became the prime suspect, June's world collapsed and everything she loved that summer fell away. She left, promising never to return to tiny Jericho, Iowa.

Until now. Officially, she's back in town to help an ill friend manage the local library. But really, she's returned to repair her relationship with her teenage daughter, who's been raised by Juniper's mother and stepfather since birth--and to solve the infamous Murphy murders once and for all. She knows the key to both lies in the darkest secret of that long-ago summer night, one that's haunted her for nearly fifteen years.

As history begins to repeat itself and a dogged local true crime podcaster starts delving into the murders, the race to the truth puts past and present on a dangerous collision course. Juniper lands back in an all-too-familiar place with the answers to everything finally in her sights, but this time it's her daughter's life that hangs in the balance. Will revealing what really happened mean a fresh start? Or will the truth destroy everything Juniper loves for a second time? Baart once again brilliantly weaves mystery into family drama in this expertly-crafted novel for fans of Lisa Jewell and Megan Miranda.

Review Quotes

"Everything We Didn't Say is an eerie and intriguing page-turner that explores family dynamics, crime, and how hard it is to keep secrets in a small rural town. Highly recommended for readers of Megan Miranda and Lisa Jewell, this is the perfect fall mystery to curl up with by the fire!" --Off the Shelf

"[A] lyrical suspense novel... Baart delivers enough twists not to disappoint as she movingly evokes love and innocence lost. This delayed coming-of-age story will have broad appeal." --Publishers Weekly

"With finely crafted characters, smooth-as-butter writing, and a breathless plot, Nicole Baart's latest kept me up long into the night, turning pages. The past is alive in this book, and I found myself wholly caught up in Juniper's intricate, surprising story as she returns home to find lost loves, lost causes, and some terrifying truths lying in wait. I'm a long-time fan of Baart, but this may be my favorite yet!" --Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Never Have I Ever

"In the small town of Jericho, the past is better left alone - even when a double murder remains unsolved, casting shadows on a family that has been torn apart for over fourteen years. Weaving together past and present, Everything We Didn't Say is a poignant, riveting tale about love, loyalty and secrets that will sink into your bones and leave you breathless!" -Wendy Walker, bestselling author of Don't Look for Me

"Nicole Baart dazzles once more in this haunting family saga about the danger of uncovering hard truths. Expertly plotted, Everything We Didn't Say delivers a satisfying ending you won't see coming. Add this to your TBR immediately!" --Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke, authors of How To Save a Life

"Riveting. Filled with secrets upon secrets and sumptuous foreboding, Everything We Didn't Say is the perfect intersection of past and present, mystery and revelation, love, longing, and the weathered ties that bind. Every book of Baart's is a gem. This one sparkles with equal parts menace and beauty. I absolutely loved it." --TOSCA LEE, New York Times bestselling author of The Line Between

"The suspense sneaks up on you as you read this beautifully crafted novel, and seeps into your bones like a chilly winter day in Iowa. Nicole Baart's latest explores memory and loss, as well as the redemptive power of second chances. I loved it." --Kaira Rouda, USA Today Bestselling author of Best Day Ever and The Next Wife

"Everything We Didn't Say brims with Nicole Baart's signature hallmarks-complex characters, tangled family dynamics, and, as always, beautiful writing. A multifaceted page-turner with intricate twists and turns, Baart has delivered a captivating read from first page to last!" --Susan Meissner, USA Today bestselling author of The Nature of Fragile Things

"A woman returns to her Iowa hometown to face her past, reclaim her family, and solve the cold-case murders that abruptly ended her childhood. Memory collides with consequence in this perfectly paced mystery and clear-eyed ode to America's heartland. I loved everything about this book. Nicole Baart is a master storyteller." --Mindy Mejia, author of Everything You Want Me To Be and Strike Me Down

"Dark family secrets, the spark of never-forgotten romance and an unsolved double murder from the past, pitting landowners against landowners. The elements in Nicole Baart's latest novel combine seamlessly to provide the atmospheric tension of a crime story and the emotional depth of a family drama. Meticulously plotted and beautifully written." --KELLY SIMMONS, international selling author of One More Day and Not My Boy

"Nicole Baart is a master of crafting family dramas around a compelling mystery, and in Everything We Didn't Say she expertly weaves past and present into a journey to the truth of a decades-old murder case. Creepy and atmospheric, with vivid and emotional prose, this slow-burn will have you thinking twice about the people you know." -Kimberly Belle, internationally bestselling author of Dear Wife and Stranger in the Lake

"Combining high wire tension and poetic storytelling, in Everything We Didn't Say Baart has created a haunting family drama that casts a glaring light on small-town hierarchies proving that the past has a long, unrelenting reach. Told in dual timelines, this suspenseful, beautifully rendered novel reveals its secrets in small, tantalizing bites leading to an explosive, highly satisfying conclusion. Everything We Didn't Say is Baart at her best." --Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Weight of Silence

Praise for You Were Always Mine

"Tense, emotionally charged, and at times frightening, You Were Always Mine opened my eyes to the dark side of adoption. With characters that are true to life and a tremendous depth of knowledge into a shocking subject matter, this is Baart's best book yet. Completely engrossing!" --Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl

"Mothers everywhere will recognize and celebrate the fierce, imperfect strength of Jessica Chamberlain as she tries to parent her sons--one birthed and one adopted--in the wake of her estranged husband's death. A startlingly authentic mix of suspense, grief, and family drama, You Were Always Mine reconstructs the pieces of a shattered life to reveal the darkness that destroyed it. You will never look at adoption the same way again." --Mindy Mejia, author of Everything You Want Me To Be and Leave No Trace

"Original, chilling, and frighteningly realistic. With a mother we adore and children we root for, this sinister and heartbreaking family drama will have you turning pages as fast as you can. Clear your schedule and prepare to be wowed!" --Hank Phillippi Ryan, nationally bestselling author of Trust Me

"An electrifying family drama that shows the dark side of adoption, You Were Always Mine is the kind of book you will want to finish in one sitting." --Bustle


"Nicole Baart skillfully blends suspense and family drama like no one else. Everything We Didn't Say is an atmospheric barn-burner that jumps from past to present in an Iowa farm community rife with secrets, simmering grudges, and an unsolved murder. I was utterly enthralled."--Emily Carpenter, bestselling author of Reviving the Hawthorn Sisters

About the Author

Nicole Baart is the mother of five children from four different countries. The cofounder of a nonprofit organization, One Body One Hope, she lives in a small town in Iowa. She is the author of nine previous novels, including You Were Always Mine, Little Broken Things, and The Beautiful Daughters. Learn more at NicoleBaart.com.